


Sprung

by White_Rainbow



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: Thrawn - Timothy Zahn
Genre: Eli saves the day, First Meetings, Lyste sheds some tears, M/M, SupplyCowboy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 14:09:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11738667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/White_Rainbow/pseuds/White_Rainbow
Summary: Eli Vanto returns from the Chiss Ascendancy to assist Thrawn with Atollon. He finds out Lyste is still imprisoned despite Kallus being captured. Eli is determined to free Lyste himself.(This AU is separate from others in the SupplyCowboy AU)





	Sprung

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nspamc](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nspamc/gifts).



> Nspamc spoils me with her beautiful art and head cannons and she is my absolute SupplyCowboy Partner-in-Crime. This is for her :-3

Eli finds Thrawn on the bridge looking out the viewport, stars streaking past the  _ Chimera  _ as the speed of hyperspace obscures their shapes.

“Sir? Why is Agent Kallus in a holding cell?”

Thrawn does not turn as he speaks. “Kallus was our rebel spy,” he says simply.

Eli frowns. “I thought ya’ll captured the spy months ago.”

“Kallus had framed Lieutenant Lyste to throw us off his scent. It did not last and now he is in prison.”

“And what happened to your lieutenant?”

This time Thrawn turns his head, his scarlet eyes casting a curious glance to Eli’s inquisitiveness. “As of right now only a handful of people know of Kallus' betrayal. If things do not go as planned on Atollon, Tarkin has ordered me to keep Lyste detained until Kallus is dealt with properly.”

Eli blinks. “You’re letting an innocent man stew in prison?”

“He is perfectly safe, commander.”

“Well yeah, but is he aware that you know he’s innocent?”

Thrawn faces the viewport once again. “Not yet. In due time all will be revealed.”

Eli grits his teeth at the grand admiral’s typical vagueness. It should be old hat by now. 

It wasn’t. 

“Excuse me, grand admiral.” Eli spins to leave. He wonders if Thrawn is going to stop him as he marches towards the door.

“Commander,” Thrawn calls after him. 

_ Here it is…gonna tell me to leave it be. _

“Lieutenant Lyste is on Detention Level B, Cell 35.”

Eli bristles a moment, then sighs. “Thanks.”

“Of course…”

The lighting is dim on Detention Level B. The walls are a dismal gray. A thick oppressive silence hangs in the air. At the very least, these cells are not fixed with narrow doors and narrower windows, instead they are fitted with archaic tubular bars that make the cells seem a bit less claustrophobic.

Eli glances at the digital roster near the entrance and sees only one of the thirty-six cells is occupied. So Thrawn kept Lyste isolated. It was a kindness, Eli supposes, not wanting the framed lieutenant intermingling with genuine criminals. 

Still, this was no place for an innocent man. 

He stands in front of Cell 35 and sees a man huddled in the corner of the room. 

The man’s face is obscured by black mussy hair, face buried in his arms as he hugs his knees.

“Excuse me, Lieutenant?” Eli asks. Though his voice is low, it punctures the quiet causing the lieutenant to flinch.

The Lieutenant’s head snaps up and a pair of crystal blue eyes gaze owlishly at Eli. 

Pale, smooth cheeks are streaked with tears, thick eyebrows knitted upwards. With a startled gasp, the man leaps to his feet, grabs his crumpled hat on the ground and fits it atop his dark hair, smoothing out his long sideburns. Recovering from a momentary wobble, he stands at attention and raises a shaking hand in salute.

“Lieutenant Yogar Lyste…” His voice quivers and he tries to hide the fear with a clearing of his throat. “Are you...here to free me?”

Eli's heart aches to look at this man with wide doe eyes, soft pale skin and disheveled black hair that he subconsciously tucks beneath his cap as he looks at Eli. 

More than anything Eli wants to free this man. 

More than anything he wants to say yes to him. 

“No. I’m sorry.”

“I see…” With an eerie calm, Lyste sinks to his knees. Slowly, he removes his cap, squeezing it tightly in his gloved fists. “But...I am innocent,” he murmurs.

"I know, Lieutenant," Eli says, kneeling in front of the cell to look at the Lieutenant at his level.

Lyste raises those impossibly blue eyes to Eli again, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks. "Y-you do?” He leans in and grips the prison bars. “You believe me then?"

Eli feels his heart breaking. "Yeah, I do."

"Sir, whomever you are, will you please tell the Grand Admiral. You are the first to believe me. And-"

“Lieutenant,” Eli interrupts, softly. "He already knows."

Lyste wilts, his gloves sliding along the bars with a quiet squeak. “Of course. So I am to be a scapegoat then..."

"Not if I have anything to say about it you won't.” A peculiar mixture of anger and determination swells within Eli’s chest. “Lieutenant, my name is Lieutenant Commander Eli Vanto. And I’ll make sure you go free."

Lyste's eyes shine at Eli’s words and a hopeful smile spreads across his face. 

It’s the brightest smile anyone’s ever had for Eli. 

It...sorta makes him feel like a hero.

But then something else crosses Lyste’s face, like a shadow, though not one of despair. Lyste’s jaw sets, his eyes narrow, and his throat shifts as if swallowing back his emotions. “You are kind, Commander, but if the grand admiral wishes me to stay until his plan, whatever it is, is carried through then here I shall stay.”

Eli blinks several times, not entirely sure he heard the lieutenant correctly. “But you’re innocent.”

Lyste releases the bars and sits back on his heels. “All I wanted was for the grand admiral to know I am no traitor. He already knows and that is a enough for me. If I am to be a decoy then I shall remain such until Thrawn’s plan succeeds.”

“Yeah, but it might not succeed,” Eli argues.

Lyste issues a tight smile and wipes the tears from his eyes. “He is Grand Admiral Thrawn, Commander. His plans always succeed.”

Eli sighs and pulls off the officer’s cap from his head, running a hand furiously through his brown curly hair. “I gotta say, you’re handlin’ this a lot better than I would have, lieutenant.” 

"Yogar…” The word is so quiet Eli almost doesn’t hear it.

“What?”

A rosiness surfaces on Lyste’s cheeks. “You may call me Yogar if you like, Commander."

The previous swell of determination within Eli suddenly bursts into something more akin to rapidly fluttering butterflies. “Hi, Yogar...I, ah...call me Eli..."

Lyste blushes. “Yes, I actually know who you are. Your reputation precedes you.”

Warmth touches Eli’s ears and cheeks. “Oh.”

They sat in silence for a few moments and Eli feels words wanting to tumble from his mouth, but he holds his tongue…

_...but maybe… _

_...ah what the hell... _

“Lieu-uh...Yogar, may I visit you again while you wait for this plan of Thrawn’s to unfold?”

Lyste’s face brightens and he hastily rubs his nose and brushes away the residual tears. “Yes, please. I would like this very much...Eli.”

Hearing his name come out of those narrow, pale lips sets off Eli’s heart again in a confounding way.

_ What’s gotten into me? _

Eli already knows the answer…

“We are comin’ out of hyperspace soon. Battle should be resolved in a few hours if all goes well. I’ll bring you back something warm to eat and we can...maybe talk?”

Lyste nods eagerly. “I cannot wait. Thank you.”

“Yeah...me either.”

\-----

Atollon goes...about as well as it could have under the circumstances. 

Terrifying Force-storms, ubiquitous gorilla-moose apparitions, insubordinate admirals, and destructive mandalorian swarms notwithstanding, Eli was surprised the Empire pulled a victory out of the day.

It is, however, a bittersweet victory, for the war is not over as Thrawn had hoped.

And then there was the pesky situation of the traitorous Agent Kallus escaping.

Eli stands with Thrawn in his study, in front of the life-size holoimage of Grand Moff Tarkin, whose withering gaze lightens ever so slightly at Thrawn’s report, but then soon shrivels at the announcement of Kallus’ escape.

“You will keep Lieutenant Lyste detained until Kallus is recaptured and put on trial, grand admiral.”

Eli shifts to step forward and plead the Lieutenant’s case, but Thrawn cuts him off before he can lift so much as a heel.

“Sir, might I offer an alternative solution?”

Tarkin leans back, steepling his fingers. “I am listening.”

“Kallus’ escape presents us with a unique opportunity. In his absence, Lieutenant Lyste can be shaped into a symbol of what we are fighting for. He is a hard-working, loyal supply master who was framed by a heartless spy for the Rebellion. If we present this to the masses, if we show Lieutenant Lyste and the horrors he had to face because of Kallus, it will garner sympathy for the Empire. That sympathy will be fuel to double our efforts to tracking down Agent Kallus and his Rebel cohorts.”

Tarkin arches a thin, graying brow. “So we use Lyste, not as a scapegoat, but as another victim of the Rebel’s treachery.”

“Precisely.”

Eli watches Tarkin chew over the plan with a tight-lipped thoughtfulness. “Very well, grand admiral. Release the lieutenant and take a statement from him. I want him telling us exactly what happened. I will have Colonel Yularen fill in the rest of the gaps and speak of Lyste’s stellar, if not modest, reputation.”

Thrawn nods. “Thank you, sir.” 

Tarkin’s holoimage blinks out as the feed disconnects.

Eli shifts his weight and tries to hide his eagerness, though he feels as if he’s dancing on hot coals.

A hint of a smile spread along Thrawn’s lips. “Commander, would you like to tell our poor Lieutenant the good news?”

“I would. And thanks for stickin’ up for him, grand admiral.”

“Thank you for bringing a fresh perspective to this precarious situation.” Thrawn says, and before Eli leaves he claps a hand on the commander’s shoulder. “It is good to have you back with us.”

Eli grins. “It’s great to be back, sir.”

\-----

When Eli returns to the holding cells he finds Lyste is no longer huddling in the darkness, but instead leaning with his back against the bars of the cell. He is humming a quiet tune and is considerably more at ease than the first time Lyste met him.

When Eli clears his throat, Lyste immediately turns to look at him and breaks into a dazzling smile that brightens his whole face. The very glimmer in those crystal blue orbs takes Eli’s breath away.

And then it hits him…

...Lyste is not even aware that he was set to be free. 

That smile is borne from the sole fact Eli has returned to visit him.

_ That smile is for me... _

Eli struggles to replace the air that had suddenly left his lungs. “H-hey…”

“Hello, Eli!” Lyste greets, scrambling to his feet, readjusting the cap on his head. “I...heard the battle from here. I am sorry I could not assist. Was it very difficult?”

Eli could not contain the good news any longer. “Yogar, you’re free.”

Lyste tilts his head. “I am what?”

With a quick swipe and key entry at the control panel, the barred door of Lyste’s cell slides open with a noisey  _ clang. _

For a moment Lyste and Eli stand in front of each other without bars between them.

At any moment, Eli expects Lyste to burst from the cell and hurry down the hallway...but instead he doesn’t move a muscle, he only stares at Eli, his dark eyebrows furrowing.

“Why am I free?”

Even as Eli explains to the lieutenant the circumstances of his freedom, Lyste takes the information in soberly, as if carefully considering whether this freedom was worth his time. 

Any other man would not look a gift nerf in the mouth.

_ Who is this man?  _ Eli wonders.

“So I shall give my statement to Colonel Yularen and then return to work?”

“That’s the plan, yeah.”

Lyste’s serious expression breaks and that broad smile returns. He rushes out of the cell, and before Eli can step aside, Lyste throws his arms around Eli’s neck and buries his face in his shoulder. 

“Thank you, commander. Thank you.”

Eli freezes.

So does Lyste.

Eli’s hands land on Lyste’s waist out of sheer reflex and he feels his entire body break into a sweat. 

_ I’ve only just met him and here I am holdin’ him like he’s my date to a winter solstice dance. _

Lyste breaks away first, looking up at Eli in horror. “I...I am so sorry. I was just...so excited!”

Eli rubs his necks. “Ah, it ain’t nothin’. I’m glad you’re free.”

“Thank you for all you’ve done for me,” Lyste’s voice is soft and bashful, his eyes dropping to the floor. The toe of his boot scuffs along the ground. “I...should work on my statement,” Lyste says, finally.

“Ah, Lieutenant?” 

“Yogar,” Lyste reminds him.

“Yeah, Yogar. I, uh...I mean, we won’t reach the rendezvous for another hour or two. You...hungry maybe?”

“Oh! Uh…” Lyste’s eyes go wide for a moment. “I mean...I am. We could get food...together...if it is alright with you.”

“Well, I mean, I’m asking you,” Eli shrugs, trying to put forth a nonchalant vibe. “You’re the recently freed man so it is up to you. No pressure.”

“I would like that very much...Eli.”

Eli is sure the color on Lyste’s face matches his own. 

Though the hallway is relatively wide, they walk close together. 

Eli’s heart pounds in his chest so loud he wonders if Lyste can hear it. He looks over and sees Lyste is walking with his eyes glued ahead of him and he chews his lip nervously.

Eli knew he needed to break the tension somehow or else their dinner would be nothing but awkward silence.

So he breaks the tension the only way he knows how.

With a bit of Wild Space charm...

“I’ve never gone to dinner with an ex-con before,” Eli hums innocently.

Lyste’s eyes grow wide and scoffs. “Nor will you! I am no convict, sir!”

Eli grins, and detects a glint of a smile behind the lieutenant’s aghast face. “Ya sure? I did just spring you out of prison. And you do have that hardened criminal look about you.”

“Hardened criminal!” Lyste balks. “Now see here, I am a lieutenant and  _ you _ are incorrigible!”

“But you’ll still have dinner with me, right?” Eli asks, flashing Lyste a boyish smile.

This time Lyste joins in the mirth. “Well...yes...I mean, you  _ did  _ just...how did you put it? ‘Spring me out of prison’. But keep up with that ornery attitude and it may be the only dinner we have!”

Despite his threat, Lyste’s fingers gently brush against Eli’s knuckles. 

The slight contact might as well have sent electric currents through Eli’s whole arm. He fights the urge to hold the lieutenant’s hand, and merely brushes the knuckles back. 

Eli continues to do all he can to keep Lyste smiling and scoffing all the way to the mess hall. 

And despite Lyste continuing to half-heartedly threaten the wild space cowboy, they both know it won’t be their only dinner together.


End file.
